Have you started revising for your Grade 12, yet? If not, there’s still time, with FINAL exam season beginning in November . Even if you have started revising, there are always opportunities to level up your revision and give yourself an even better chance of doing well when you sit the real exam.
Everyone learns differently. Some people prefer the written word, while others like audio or video content. Some people learn by doing, and others by watching. Perhaps you like to use flash cards, study with a friend, or play revision games to test your memory. But no matter how you like to learn and revise, using past exam papers should be a part of your revision process.
We recently showed you where to find past exam papers for Grade 12 . But once you’ve got them, how can you make the most of them? Read on for our top tips.
Read Each Question Twice or more
One of the mistakes that students can avoid on exams is not reading the questions correctly and therefore not answering them correctly. By using previous exam papers, you will know the wording of the questions.
Practice reading each question at least twice, to make sure you fully understand what is being asked. Underlining or highlighting keywords is helpful. Prepositional phrases (words that tell you what to do, such as “describe,” “explain,” “analyze,” and “compare”) are very important to understand. you to ask questions or advice.
Understand the Format
Although the questions are different, the exam questions are similar every year. Before studying past papers, it is important to understand the format. This will help you understand what to expect during the exam.
Read the test guidelines and instructions, paying close attention to the number of questions, types of questions, and time slots. You should also write down your score for each question so that you can speed up and allocate your time.
Mind-Map Your Thoughts and Create a Plan
In many tests, you will be asked to write long answers or essays to answer questions or questions. While studying past papers, practice mind mapping and making a paper plan before you start writing.
This can help you organize your thoughts and come up with a better answer to the question. Even if it only takes a few minutes of your writing time, well spent, the answers will be stronger and the score will be better.
The test technique (including planning, pacing, and focus) is essential to a good understanding of the test subject. Using previous exam papers will improve your exam skills and improve your subject knowledge and writing skills.
Practice Under Exam Conditions
Even if you know the subject well, the test situations will still be difficult. That’s why it’s important to practice to get comfortable and understand what’s going to happen throughout the day. So, try to solve some previous papers in exam mode.
Once you have time to complete the test calmly and without distractions, you will only be allowed to use the materials you have for the actual test (such as notes, books, calculators, or other tools).
If you want to make the test more fun, do a “mock test” with a friend or two, and then plan to reward yourself with a fun activity. You will also have the opportunity to compare notes and help each other with future updates.
Study the Marking Scheme and Examiners’ Reports
To test well, you need to know what the examiner is looking for. Fortunately, most of the exam boards have benchmarks that you can study with past papers. It shows what is expected, how the essay will be graded, and the points that should be met to improve the final result.
Test reports from previous years will be very useful. In this report, the examiners outline what the students did well and what common mistakes they made.
Identify Areas of Difficulty
While solving past papers, you may find that some questions are easier than others. If you run into any problems, please let me know. This will help you know what to review next and focus on your review plan. By studying previous papers you can understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Don’t be afraid to ask for additional support at this time. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can talk to your teacher (and classmates with different abilities) and get help and resources to review.
Mark Yourself and Ask for Feedback
Once you have completed the previous paper, check the mark scheme or answer sheet and try to mark yourself. For papers with right and wrong answers (like multiple-choice or credit questions), this is easier than essay-style questions, but you can still try.
If possible, try to get feedback from the teacher. They can give you expert advice on what you did well, what you could improve on, and where you need more support before the exam.